Sermons on Three Chapters of Song of Songs, Sermon 11

Sermons on Three Chapters of Song of Songs · Sermon 11

p. 140THE ELEVENTH SERMON. Our helpe be in the name of God, &c. It is written as followeth in the firſt Chapter of the Canticle of Canticles, the eighth verſe.

8 If thou knowe it not, O thou the faireſt among women, get thee forth, & goe & folowe the trace of the flock, and feede thy kiddes by the tents or cabbins of the ſheepheards.

1 That Satan hath alwaies diſguized the marks of the Church.

2 The true Church leaueth not therefore to bee alwaies faire and precious in the ſight of God.

3 Wherefore the Church, though ſhee be in ſuch estate, leaueth not for all that to bee the Church, againſt the opinion of the Catharistes and Donatiſtes.

4 The Weſt Babylon is nothing leſſe then the Church, but how God hath drawen and yet draweth foorth his alwaies thence, by awakening them with his ſingular mildnes and clemencie.

5 We muſt come forth out of Babylon if wee wil not periſh with it, and how wee muſt doe it.

6 The examples of Ioſeph & of Dauid and of Moſes different and diuers in this reſpect, applied vntounto our time.

7 Changing of place is not going forth of Babylon.

8 To become a Monke is nothing leſſe then to goe out of the world.

9 An aunſwere vntounto them who at this daie ſeeke to find an agreement betweene p. 141Babylon and the Church.

10 It is another thing to make a newe waie, and to returne vntounto the auncient and true waie, and what this old and ancient waie is.

11 There are two ſortes of auncient fathers, and manie turninges on the right hand and on the left.

12 The ſucceſſion of Biſhops in the weſt Babylon is of no ſure ground.

13 What the true Cabbins and Tentes are, vntounto which this ſpouſe is ſent.

14 Wherefore Salomon maketh mention of Cabbins and Sheepheardes.

15 Touching the exceſſe committed in buildings and other pompes, which hauehave altogither transformed the Church into a ſhoppe of moſt abominable ambition and couetouſneſſe.

16 The Cabbins or Tents of the Church are portatiue, and the meane not to bee deceiued in them.

17 A great fault to ſtand vppon mere perſonal ſucceſſion.

18 A concluſion of the whole matter going before.

THE knowledge of the trueth beeing in all things the ready direction to follow the right way, and nothing being more precious then ſaluation which leadeth vsus farther then this life, there is nothing more pernicious and peſtilent then the obſcuring and darkning of the truth touching our ſaluation, & by conſequent, then the diſguizing of the true marks of the church of God, without the which there is neither truth nor ſaluation. This is it which the falſe Paſtors would gladlie make men to beleeue can neuer come to paſſe, to the end to drawe men vntounto themſelues, when it pleaſeth God ſo to chaſten and puniſh the contempt of his truth. Now that the marks of the Church bee not alwaies bright-ſhining and cleare, it is apparant and manifeſt not onelyonly by the menaces and threats which the Lord hath made in this behalf, both by the Prophets in infinite many places, as Pſal. 44. and 79, & 80. throughout, and Pſal. 89.39. Eſay 28.14. & elſe-where, as alſo vnderunder the new couenant the Lord foretold the ſame expreſly, Mat. 24.24. and after him the Apoſtle, Act. 20.29. and 2. Tim. 3.12. and 2. Theſſ. 2.6. and 1. Ioh. 2.18. as it hath alſo beene confirmed by manie and ſundry experiences in al times as before we hauehave declared. This is then the ſtate in which the p. 142poore Church is propoſed vntounto vsus to be in the verſe going before, not knowing in a maner on which ſide to turne it ſelfe in ſuch an vtter confuſion.

2 And therefore our duty is wel and narrowly to conſider the aunſwere made vntounto the ſpouſe by him himſelfe, who alone, to ſpeake properly, ſpeaketh in verity & truth, ſeeing it is he who is truth it ſelfe, and who neuer forſaketh thoſe who are his in their neede. After a preface therefore firſt made, to encourage and to comfort her, calling her the fayreſt among women, hee aunſwereth his ſpouſe in this ſenſe, It is true indeede that thou art a poore wandring ſtray, and therefore black and ſunne-burnt, but yet thou leaueſt not for all that to be fayr and beutifull in mine eye, yea adorned with ſuch a beuty as none beſides thy ſelfe can vaunt and boaſt of. This is the verie ſtile which the Lord himſelf vſeth by his Prophets, adding alwaies a conſolation and comfort after his threats and iudgementes, as is expreſlie ſpoken and in the ſame ſenſe by the Prophet Eſaie ſaying, Come my people, enter into thy chambers, and ſhutte the doores after thee, and hide thy ſelfe a little while vntil my anger bee paſſed ouer. Eſay 26.20. the Church hauing ſaid before vntounto him in the eight verſe, ô Eternal we wait for thee in the way of thy iudgementes. Nowe the foundation of this comfort and conſolation conſiſteth in two pointes: both of them grounded vponupon the ſingular merciemercy of God. The firſt is, that the Lord neuer ſuffereth the ground Articles and points of true religion to be aboliſhed in his Church, though they be in diuers ſorts both within and without diſguiſed and baſtardized: and that ſometimes this truth remaine but among a few, as we ſee it came to paſſe in Iſrael in the time of Elias, in Iuda in the time of the captiuity of Babylon, in Ieruſalem it ſelfe then when the Lord came in perſon. The other point is, that the Lord conſidereth not his Church ſimply according vntounto his graces and bleſſings which ſhine in her, which are ſometimes moſt darke and obſcure in the eies of men, but reſpecteth her alwaies in the truth of his couenant, and in him in whom ſhee is indeede not onelyonly without spot or wrinckle, Coloſſ. 1.22. but which is more, clothed with p. 143the perfect righteouſneſſe of the reconciler, Phil. 3.9.

3 Let vsus therefore know that the church leaueth not to be a church, though the true doctrine touching certaine articles bee therein debated, yea though it bee touching the principall articles by ſome, as the weakneſſe of ſome, and the wickedneſſe of others is great, whereof the church of Corinth may be a witneſſe in which the article of the reſurrection was called by ſome into controuerſie, and the church of the Galathians ſo ſhaken, that in reſpect of the greateſt part of the members thereof, it was vtterly reuolted, as the Apoſtle himſelfe witneſſeth, Gal. 1.6. who notwithſtanding leaueth not to cal them churches of Ieſus Chriſt which he alſo reformed & reſtored, according vntounto that leſſō which he taught others, Rom. 14.1. And therefore theſe fantaſticall Cathariſtes and Donatiſtes of olde, and thoſe of our time of the ſect of the Anabaptiſts, who ſeeke after ſuch a church in this world as ſhould hauehave no fault nor any thing amiſſe in it, are vtterlie to bee reiected.

4 But it is far an other thing to diſpute and make a queſtion of that which a man knoweth not, with a will and deſire to learne and know it: and ſtubburnly to oppoſe a mans ſelfe againſt the truth, and finally to maintaine and authoriſe a doctrine directly contrarie vntounto the articles of our faith. And thus is it at length come to paſſe in the Romiſh church at this day, which for this cauſe doth no more deſerue the name of a church then the kingdome of the ten tribes reuolting with Ieroboam the ſonne of Nabath deſerued the name of the people of God: albeit there were for a long time ſome of Gods elect among thoſe reuolters, whom the Lorde according vntounto his good pleaſure did miraculouſly preſerue, vntill the daie of the vtter diſſipation of them, which ſhall befall this Weſt Babylon in his time. And therefore we proteſt that in the times of our fathers there was a Church, that is to ſay, a number of the children of God as it were ſecret and ſhut vp, as may be proued by writinges from age to age, that there were alwaies ſome who oppoſed themſelues againſt thoſe ſuperſtitions and idolatries p. 144which by little and litle gotte the vpper hand in this Babylon, called three hundred yeares agoe by one of their owne Poets a Temple of hereſie, in the which the Lorde for this ſuffered not that Baptiſm ſhould be vtterly taken away and aboliſhed, but not that this Sea or any affected thereunto being directlie oppoſed vntounto the Church of God, was at any time the Church. We proteſt & confeſſe farther, that euen in our time, in which it hath pleaſed God to diſplay the banner of his truth, there doe ſtil remaine ſome of the elect, buried as it were in the middeſt of this Babylon, who in reſpect of the eternal purpoſe and counſel of God appertain at this preſent vntounto the true church: but by little and little as it pleaſeth God to drawe them out of this gulf, are actually made the members of this true Church, of which thing you to whom we ſpeak, and our ſelues who are by Gods merciemercy come forth thereof, are good witneſſes. This is then the comfort and conſolation whereof mention is made in this place, and that which we muſt learne to anſwere them, who ſo impudently and ſhameleſlie begin our churches, from thoſe great perſonages the faithful ſeruants of God, rayſed vp of his great mercy and grace about ſeuentie yeares agoe, not to build a new Church, as they falſely cal it, but to gather togither the poore ſeelie ſheepe which were ſtrayed among the wolues, which the ſpouſe calleth here falſe companions of Ieſus Chriſt, as wee hauehave aboue expounded the ſame: the Bridegroome therefore paſſing farther, addeth If thou knoweſt it not, as if hee ſaid, is it poſſible my ſpouſe that thou haſt vtterly forgotten that which thou askeſt of me, namely where my paſturing place is, and where I cauſe my ſheep to reſt in the heate of the noon day? Which he ſpeaketh not ſo much vntounto the ſpouſe in way of reproch or to greeue her or make her ſadde, as to awaken her and to make her bethink her ſelfe better: as if to warne him who ſeemeth to hauehave little courage, wee ſhoulde giuegive him to vnderſtand, that if he think wel on himſelfe, hee is ſtronger then he takes himſelfe to be. Wee ſee here therefore the ineſtimable and admirable goodneſſe of God towards his Church, teaching vsus, that we muſt take heede of two contrary p. 145extremes, namely that we preſume not too much of our owne forces as Saint Peter did who after found himſelfe in verie bad caſe thereby, and on the other ſide alſo that we conſider well of the gifts we hauehave receiued of God, that we make them profitable to our ſelues and others by our couragious vſage of them, as the Apoſtle moſt diligently warneth his Diſciple Timothy, 1. Tim. 4.14. whereas it falleth out often, that for want of courage, which we thinke is not ſo, wee ſuffer that to fall away which we hauehave receiued, making our ſelues in the end vtterly vnworthy thereof.

5 After this preface the Bridegroome warneth his ſpouſe firſt to goe forth, as it was ſaid at the beginning vntounto Abraham, get thee foorth out of thy countrie and out of the land where thou wert borne, and out of thy fathers houſe, Gen. 12.1. & afterward by the mouth of the Prophets, get you out of Babylon, flie out of Chaldaea, Ier. 51.6. and afterward by the Angel, goe yee out of her my people, Apoc. 18.4. And indeede the meanes to find the right way after that a man is gone aſtraie, is not to tarrie in the path in which he wandred, but a man muſt withdraw himſelfe from it and returne into the right aſſoone as he can. Now if hereupon a man demand, whether this retreat importeth alwaies a chā ging of place, I anſwere that no. For the principal retire as touching doctrine lieth herein, to turne from falſehoode to return into the way of truth, and as touching manners to withdrawe our ſelues from al kind of iniquity to giuegive our ſelues vntounto pureneſſe of liuing, Pſal 119.9. and .2. Tim. 2.19. which is meant in the Scripture by the word of conuerſion.

6 But touching this the examples in Scriptures are not all of one ſort. For we ſee, that Ioſeph left not Egypt, neither did Daniel or his companions, as farre as wee read, depart out of Chaldea or Perſia. Contrariwiſe looke wee vponupon Moſes, & we ſhal ſee that he forſook Pharaoes court; & as for the retchles and careleſſe Iewes, who foreſlowed their departure out of the captiuity, the gate beeing thriſe ſet open vntounto them, wee knowe how dearely they bought it. What ſhall we then ſaie hereupon? This doubt is eaſily reſolued by them, who hauehave a p. 146regard, without flattering of themſelues any whit at all, aſwel vntounto the glory of God as vntounto their owne duty to diſcharge it well, as alſo to their own ability and meanes which they hauehave to ſerue God aright. The ſcope therefore and ground of ſuch a deliberation as this is, is, that what euer commeth, wee muſt ſerue God in ſuch ſort as hee hath appointed vsus to ſerue him, without looking either backward, or on the right hande or on the left. Thus much is preſuppoſed, if a man liue in ſuch a place where he may heare the woorde of God ſyncerely preached, and may vſe the Sacraments ordained by God for an helpe & remedie of our wretched weakeneſſe. Yet for all that a man muſt according to the aduertiſement of Chriſt accounting his coſt & taking a reckoning of his ability before he build or wage battle: Luk. 14.28. conſider farther; firſt whether hee feele himſelfe ſtrōg inough by the aide & aſſiſtāce of god both to ſuſtain the hot aſſaults which by al likelihood ſhalbe giuē him, in making a pure and vpright confeſſion of the true religion among prophane and ſuperſtitious liuers, and alſo not to ſuffer himſelfe to be ſeduced by ſuch wicked examples, as ſhalbe eueryevery houre and eueryevery moment preſented him in thoſe places. If any man therefore finde himſelfe in ſuch condition, I ſee not why hee ſhould lightly change the place he liueth in, but ought rather there to diſcharge his duty, and to ſhine as a cleare flaming torch in the middeſt of the kingdome of darckneſſe, Phil. 2.15. although it be not forbidden that hee which findeth himſelfe well inough touching the ſtate of his conſcience, in any place, may not ſeeke ſtill to be yet better if may be. And farther they who hauehave any charge and vocation of God, eſpecially an eccleſiaſtical charge in any place, ought to take heede how they take into their mindes ſuch an impreſſion of dangers, as therefore to leaue their charge, which ought to bee more precious vntounto them then their owne life, according vntounto the practiſe of all the faithfull ſeruantes of God, examples whereof wee hauehave in Ioſeph, & in Daniel. Now they are ſaid to quit their charge who depart for the feare of men, or for their owne particular reſpect; not conſidering that an aſſured vocation is the voice p. 147of god, which who ſo willingly obeieth not, either to tarry, or to depart, is worthie to be diſcharged, or rather puniſhed by his Captaine. Abraham hauing receiued a commaundement of the Lorde, left forthwith his Country and his fathers houſe. Briefly a lawfull calling, and ſuch a one as wee are neceſſarilie tied vntounto, is the voice of the Lord, whether it be to cauſe vsus to ſtay where we are, or to depart. We read not that Moſes had any commaundement by viſion from God, as had Abraham, to depart out of Pharaoes court, Heb. 11.24. but beſides that hee had no eſtate or calling which tied him to ſtay, but contrariwiſe was brought vp after the Aegyptian faſhion: his intent & purpoſe approued by that which followed, ſheweth that hee was guided and conducted by a ſingular motion and inſtinct of the holy ghoſt, as S. Stephen likewiſe declareth the ſame. Act. 7.22. As we neede not alſo to doubt, but that Daniell, if he were not ſurpriſed by death in his old age, held himſelfe in Perſia by reaſon of his publicke vocation, in which he did god and his whole nation faithful ſeruice: as Eſdras alſo and Nehemias ſtaied there a while after the edict, through the ſingular prouidence of God, who would hauehave them left for a rere ward vntounto the people who drew themſelues backe by litle and litle, as on the contrariſide thoſe who tarried and ſhrouded themſelues in filthineſſe and vncleanneſſe of that prophane people are by no meanes to be excuſed. In ſumme who ſo rightly and ſyncerely ſeeketh after the glory of God and the quiet of his conſcience, ſhall ſoone knowe how to make in ſuch a caſe an holy and a good reſolution. Neither is this to tie the grace of God vntounto any one Prouince, or the walles of any one Citty, whereas God muſt be ſerued in eueryevery place with lifting vp of pure handes: 1. Tim. 2.8. but this is to teach men to ſet all thinges whatſoeuer without exception, after the dewty which they owe vntounto the Lorde: whoſe promiſe is moſt liberall & bountifull vntounto them, who forſake for his ſake houſes, or brethren, or ſiſters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands & poſſeſſions, howe euer the worlde take and account them for fooles and franticke.

p. 1487 Neither ſerueth this leſſon to teach vsus onelyonly that it is enough to depart out of thoſe places where ſuperſtitiō or ſome what worſe then that is. For it is to little purpoſe to chaunge our place, if we chaunge not our old skinne: and if being come to another place to ſerue God better and with more freedome then before, we ſhew it not indeede and effect when wee are come thither. Which falleth not ſo truly out in al, as I muſt ſay it to my great griefe, beeing but too too manie found who in ſteede of changing themſelues and their manners or profiting themſelues better when they are come hither amongſt vsus, become worſe then before, ſo that being nothing elſe but an offence and ſtumbling block vntounto others, it were better both for vsus and them they had either neuer come here, or had returned ſtrait way thither againe from whence they came.

8 And as this doctrine ſerueth not to this purpoſe, ſo neyther tendeth it to the fauoring of theſe hypocriticall Moonkes who boaſt and brag they hauehave forſaken the woorlde, becauſe they would faine be reckned among the number of them who hauehave left and forſaken al things for Chriſts ſake: which thing I ſhall then confeſſe to bee true, when they ſhal hauehave proued Ieſus Chriſt to be the patron and founder of their order, and that to enter into a monaſterie, there to liue at the coſt and charges of another, and ſome of them to bee chaunged into wild aſſes, others to get them fat paunches, others to grow vppe to miters and cardinals hattes, others to be the props and arch-pillers of falſhoode and error, ſuch as theſe of the latter crue are, who cal themſelues Capuchins & Ieſuits, falſe vſurpers of the name of Ieſus, others to be ſauiours and meriters for themſelues and for others who hire them for their imaginarie workes, in ſuch ſort as to heare them ſpeake, it ſhould ſeeme that God oweth them ſomewhat vponupon a reckning when they hauehave paſt a clear account with him: when I ſay they ſhal hauehave ſhewed that this doctrine is Propheticall and Apoſtolicall, I wil then confeſſe their ſaying to be true and not before: no diſpleaſure to one of the ancient fathers (a man otherwiſe endued with moſt excellent gifts, & who neuer heard of ſuch, not monks, but monkeis p. 149as they afterward became to bee) but ſo bewitched notwithſtanding with the opinion of a monaſtical and ſolitarie life, as that he ſticked not to giuegive one this counſell to runne ouer the verie belly of his owne father, to enter into a monaſterie: ſo blinde was the world euen in thoſe daies.

9 In a word therefore, the firſt point of returning vntounto the Church of God, is a reſolution of quitting and forſaking the falſe Church, without any either chaffering and merchandizing or looking behinde vsus, as we are warned, Luke 9.62. & Phil. 3.13. as this ſpouſe alſo is expreſly warned to forget her owne people and her fathers houſe, before the King can take pleaſure in her beautie, Pſal. 45.11. And this is a point which they aboue all others ought well to thinke vponupon, who at this day, when this point is handled and debated among vsus, mince out their way on both ſides, thinking to agree fire and water together: calling them transformers of the Church, who would reforme it exactly according vntounto the paterne of the woorde of God: men a great deale more daungerous then thoſe who declare themſelues vtter enimies of the truth.

10 But becauſe to goe out of a bad way to enter into an other as bad or els worſe, doth litle better the caſe of him who is wandred: therefore the ſpouſe is here warned in going out of the ill way to followe the tracke of the flocke, that is to ſaie, of this true flock of ſheep with whom they are to ioyne themſelues. For the vnderſtanding and practiſe of which leſſon we are to note, that there is a difference betweene the opening of a new way, and the acknowledging of a way made long ſince, but for lacke of vſing and frequenting growen waſt and deſolate. The queſtion being therefore in this place, not of taking or making a newe way, as if the Church had then tooke her beginning, but of finding againe the true way laid in ſome ſort waſt & deſert: for this cauſe the ſpouſe is ſent backe as it were to finde the trackes and footings of the olde way. And this is it which the Prophets themſelues hauehave preached amidſt the deſolations of the Church in their times, ſending backe ſuch as are wandered and gone aſtray vntounto the Law and vntounto the p. 150teſtimonie, Eſai. 8.20. and elſewhere as Abraham alſo ſpeaketh Luk. 16.29. They hauehave, ſaith hee, Moſes and the Prophets, let them heare them: whereunto agreeth that of Saint Peter, 2. Pet. 1.20. not forgetting the woordes of his maiſter, who directed thoſe which were blind & knew him not, vntounto the Scriptures. Sound ye, ſaith he, and ſearch the Scriptures, for they are they which ſpeak of me, Ioh. 5.39. yea although then when the Lord ſpake thus, the track and footing of the true ſheepe of the former time was ſo cleane put foorth, amongeſt thoſe who called themſelues the people of God, that there needed miracles and other extraordinary meanes to make it knowen vntounto the ſeely wandering ſheepe, Mat. 9.36.

11 Therefore when our aduerſaries would ſerue their turn with this place to teach vsus that without al diſtinctiō or exception we muſt keep vsus vntounto the way of the fathers: we muſt put them in mind of this word of Flock namely of the true flocke of the true ſheep. For there are two ſorts of fathers. The one ſeducers & ſeduced, of whom the lord complaining in Ieremy, they hauehave forſakē, ſaith he, my law, which I ſet before thē, & hauehave not hearkened vntounto my voice, neither walked thereafter, but hauehave followed their own harts luſt, & the Baalims which their fathers taught them, Ier. 9.13. and 14 and in Ezechiel 20.24 their eyes are gone after the moulten gods of their fathers. Such are the fathers from which wee muſt turne, that wee periſh not with them, not deſeruing the name of auncetors, that is to ſaie, of ſuch ſheepe as hear and folow the voice of their ſheepheard, Ioh. 10.27. But as for true fathers, that is to ſaie true auncetours, thoſe are they indeede whoſe track and footing we muſt know, that we turne not therefrom neither to the right hand nor to the left. As for example. There are in our time a great number of falſe ſects & religions which al ſaie they are the true Church▪ Behold on one ſide the Iewes, on another ſide the Turkes who vaunt themſelues, that they hauehave the true religion. As for the Turkes their Alcoran beeing newly forged, it cannot be the track of this flock. The Iewes now and ſince the deſtruction of their Temple & policy hauehave ſome fayrer ſhewe, but it is on a falſe title they vaunt themſelues to p. 151hauehave on their ſide the God which Moſes and the Prophets taught, ſeing they acknowlege not but blaſpheme him whom the Law and the Prophets lead vsus vntounto.

12 Wee ſee on the other ſide howe they of the Romiſh Church do at this daie vaunt themſelues & make great crakes of their antiquity and ſucceſſion of Biſhoppes, and of the Scriptures themſelues, the booke of the one and the other couenant. VntoUnto whom we aunſwere that the foundation of their hierarchie being in part forged vponupon an humane inuention which finally degenerated into an open tyranny: and their doctrine beeing directly and diametrally repugnant vntounto the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apoſtles, this cannot be the way trodden out by the auncient Church Apoſtolique, what continuance of years ſoeuer and names of ſucceſſours they alleadge. Aſmuch is to bee ſaid concerning the Anabaptiſts and Libertines, placing in ſteede of the Scripture their reuelations and dreames, as alſo all both old and new or renued hereticks hauehave this in common, that they hold not themſelues within the limites and bounds of the doctrine of the Apoſtles and Prophets perfectly compriſed in the holy and canonicall Scriptures, which ought to ſerue for the text and commentary of his wil.

13 And this is the cauſe why the Bridegrome addeth that the ſpouſe to finde the tracke of the true ſheep after which ſhe is ſent, muſt ſeeke after the cabbins or tents of the ſheepheards: meaning by theſe woordes, the true Paſtours of the Church whom we muſt diſcerne from the falſe, by their woordes and writings, and by their cabbins and tentes, that is to ſay, the retyring and reſting place of this true flocke. For indeede there is but one catholickeflocke, that is, vniuerſally conſidered, bee it great or litle. But there are ſo many cabbins for the retyring vntounto, and paſturing of it, as there are places in the which the voice of theſe true ſheepheards, Prophets and Apoſtles, do reſound, and ſhall reſound vntounto the end of the woorlde, by the mouthes of their faithfull ſucceſſors, to gather together and to conduct vntounto the onelyonly Paſtour and ſheepheard which is this Bridegrome, the whole number and multitude of the ſheepe.

p. 15214 And it may alſo be that Salomon had a particular reſpect to Abraham, Iſaacke, and Iacob, who were indeed ſheepheards, as the moſt part of the ancient Patriarckes, yea Moſes himſelfe among the Madianites, and Dauid, Pſal. 77.20. & 78.72. to the doctrine and family of whom the ſpouſe in this place is ſent backe, being a thing without all doubt that they were indeed true Paſtours & ſheepheards, their doctrine the true doctrine, & their houſe (excepting ſuch as behaued themſelues vnworthily, and which were rather in the houſe then of the houſe, as Iſmael and Eſaw) the true Church of God. And we may not forget that here is expreſſe mentiō made of cabbins of ſheepheards, according vntounto the purport of the hiſtory it ſelfe, namely that theſe Patriarckes did indeed dwell in tents, as wayfarers in this worlde, Heb. 11.9. We are therefore giuen to vnderſtand by this word that we may not ſeeke after the Church in the outward ſhining of Towers & Steepls, nor other pomps and braueries of the worlde: the Church of God being rather compoſed of the ſmal & contemptible things of the world, Luk. 14.21. and 1. Cor 1.26. as the head alſo thereof would bee borne in a ſtable, and liue poorely and ſlenderly. If on the contrarie ſide any man obiect the rich ornamentes of the tabernacle, the magnificence of the temple of Salomon, and the riches both of it as alſo of the people during his kingdome, in whoſe raigne it is ſaid, that men made no more reckoning of ſiluer then of ſtones in Ieruſalem, 2. Chron. 9.27. I anſwere, as touching the ornaments of the Leuiticall Prieſthoode and the riches of the Temple, that al this was a figure of the ſpiritual riches of the true Temple of God, namely of our lord Ieſus Chriſt vnderunder the paedagogie and A. B. C. of the Lawe, which is now ceaſed togither with al that which depended thereon: and as for the other riches, I denie not but that the Lord honoured his people when it ſo pleaſed him, with the bleſſinges and commodities of this life, Godlines hauing the promiſes both of the preſent life and of the life to come, 1. Tim. 4.8. I deny not alſo but that God hath called vntounto his Church, both rich and poore, ſuch and ſo many as it pleaſeth him, as the example of Abraham who was rich, in p. 153whoſe Boſome poore Lazarus was, may declare and witnes, Luk. 16.23. but I ſaie that in al times the hall where the banquet is kept, whereof mention is made in Luk. 14.13. hath alwaies beene filled rather with impotent folcke, lame, and blind taken out of the midſt of the ſtreet, then with the rich and pompous which are in kings houſes, Mat. 11.8. I ſaie farther that albeit neither riches nor pouerty are proper and eſſential marks of the Church, yet ſo is it notwithſtanding that ſmalnes & baſeneſſe of condition according vntounto the woorld, yea the croſſe it ſelfe, (not the croſſe of golde or ſiluer transformed into a moſt deteſtable Idol,) but the croſſe which burdeneth the ſhoulders, & which is an enemie vntounto the fleſh, is the ordinarie companion thereof. But I ſaie alſo that the riche which were in the church, were not of the church in the quality of men rich with worldly corruptible riches, but in the quality of poore, in aſmuch as they vſed their goods ſo as if they vſed them not at al, according vntounto the ſaying of the Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 7.31. and 1. Tim. 6.17. and became leane and thinne to paſſe thorough the eie of the needle, Mat. 19.24. laying up their treaſure in heauen, Mat. 6.20. according vntounto the example of Dauid that good and truly rich king Pſal. 16.5. Finally I ſaie that the buildinges and veſſels of the Church ought to be agreeable with the doctrine taught in the true Chriſtian Church, which condemneth all ſuperfluity and worldlie pompes, and applieth the goods of the Church to the liuing ſtones thereof, as the practiſe was in the Apoſtles times, Act. 4.35. and in thoſe times when the Paſtors were of golde, and the Churches and the veſſels thereof were of wood.

15 This then hath been and yet is an enormous fault committed by the auncient fathers ſince the time of Conſtantine to ſuffer, and much greater to exhort Kinges and Princes to found and build Churches with ſuch exceſſiue coſt, ſeruing for no other thing but to condemne both the doners and demaunders, poynting out as it were with the finger, the ambition of the one, and the couetouſnes of the other: whereupon hath entred this notorious transformation of the ſpiritual beutie of the Chriſtian Church into a vanity and pomp not ſimply p. 154carnal and worldly, but truely Epicurian, how euer it be hidde and couered vnderunder the cloke of deuotion. Heereby appeareth the more then deſperat impudencie and ſhameleſnes of them who by their goodly legends ſo falſe & ſottiſh, as nothing can bee more, in lieu of keeping themſelues vntounto the hiſtory and doctrine contained in the ſecond booke of Saint Luke called the Actes of the Apoſtles expreſlie vttered to the pen by the holy Ghoſt, hauehave not ſhamed to chaunge and transforme the holy Apoſtles of the Lord, into builders of Churches, deuiſers of croſſes, forgers of holy water ſprinckles &c. And what ſhall ſay of that moſt groſſe and enormous an impudent boldnes of forging of Saint Peters patrimonie? Of that monſter crowned with three crownes, caried and adored vponupon mens ſhoulders? Of ſuch ſtore of glittering pomps ſhining in eueryevery place, which are ſo manie ſpoiles of ſuch Kings and Princes, as hauehave beene bewitched, and ſacrilegious robberies of ſuch goods as were vowed to the ſpirituall mainteinance of the Church of the Lord? As it was ſo long agoe foretold, yea painted out by the holy Ghoſt in the Apocalypſe, ſo far as to name the place and the name of ſuch a confuſion. And who hath ſo expounded it? The auncient Greeks and Latins, whom the Pope himſelfe liketh of and alloweth. What ſhall wee ſaie of the infinity of theſe goodly votaries of pouerty, theſe honeſt wallet brethren, theſe good fathers beſotted with the verie ſtones and ſumptuoſities of their pallaces wherein they dwell? What ſhal wee ſaie of theſe new locuſtes, and weſt Indie Popiniayes already borne & to be bred, & ſpecially of theſe lees & dregs of the filth and mud of the bottomles pit, open profaners of the name of Ieſus, diſneſting the other rauening birdes and cormorantes to lay their egs where they had builded, and hauing within the compaſſe of theſe fewe yeares gotten to themſelues more goods, and built more goodly pallaces, then the reſt hauehave done in fiue hundred yeares before. Which thing calleth to my remembrance that which the Philoſophers ſaie, That the Serpentes become Dragons by eating of other little Serpentes. As for vsus, contenting our ſelues with our ſmalneſſe, p. 155let vsus oppoſe vntounto al this ſtatelie Maſqu…ra…a, with which the world …ee…eth itſelfe the lodgings and cabbins of the ancient true Paſtors, there to ſe…ke after and to finde the true church, and not in this glittering and profane riches, in which the prince of this world raigneth Mat. 11.8. borrowing the name of the Church: preferring on the contrariſide with Moſes the afflictions of the people of God, and the reproch of Ieſus Chriſt before all the treaſures of Aegypt, Heb 11.25. let vsus I ſaie keepe our ſelues vntounto him who is our king, and ſo crowned with glory on high, that yet in his poore members he is crowned with thornes▪ Col. 1.24▪ and not vntounto them who part with others the ſpoile of Ieſus Chriſt.

16 Moreouer although this worde which we hauehave turned Cabbins or Lodges, bee taken ſometimes in generall for euerie place of dwelling or abiding, notwithſtanding this woord of Sheepheards which is added, hauing, as I ſayd, a reſpect vntounto the manner of liuing of Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob, as alſo of Moſes and Aaron in the wildernes, as it is ſpoken Pſalm. 77.20. ſheweth that wee muſt ſo take it, as wee hauehave ſaide. And herevpon we ought alſo to bee warned, that as the ſheepheards abid not ſtil in one place, but had their portatiue tents and cabbines, as we ſee how the ancient Patriarches dwelt with their flocks here and there, the Church of God chaunging his place by this meanes together with them: ſo we muſt alſo take heed how we tie the name of the church ſo to any place, as to think that it neuer ſtirreth from any nation, people, citie or towne. But wee muſt beare in mind the aduertiſement of Chriſt, who warneth vsus, that if a man tell vsus heare is Chriſt or there is Chriſt, wee beleeue him not. And where is hee then? there where, ſaith he the bodie is yea the carcaſſe of the dead bodie, in which is life, there are the eagles, Matth. 24.23 & 28. that is to ſay, there where Ieſus Chriſt & no other is preached, I mean the true Ieſus chriſt, in whoſe only death wee finde life, and of whom the Apoſtle ſaide▪ that he thought no other thing worthie of kno…ledge, but Ieſus Chriſt, and him crucified, 1. Cor. 2.2. and purely preached. There muſt the eagles gather themſelues together, that is to ſay, p. 156ſeeking to bee fedde with no other then with him crucified. For there and no where els is the Church. And where ſhal this true Ieſus Chriſt be found? In the cabbins and lodges of the ſheepeheardes, which are the writings of the Prophets and Apoſtles, vponupon which for this cauſe, and for that they lay this only foundation which is Ieſus Chriſt, 1. Cor. 3.11, it is ſaid, that this Church is founded, Eph. 2.20. Apoc. 2.14. Yea but (reply our aduerſaries) if the queſtion be of the interpretation of a place of the Scripture drawen to a contrary ſenſe, to whom ſhall wee hauehave recourſe, to diſcerne the true ſenſe from the falſe? Certes againe to the cabbins of the ſheepeheards and paſtors, the Church hauing none other true and certaine light, then this written woorde, whereunto we are ſent backe, not onelyonly by the expreſſe commaundement of the Lord, as we hauehave before ſaide, but alſo by his own example who thus refuted and beat back againe the allegation of Sathan, Mat. 4.7. as the weapons of the Apoſtles alſo were ſuch, and that againſt them, who ſate in the See of Ieruſalem, Act. 4.7. ſo far were they from aiding & defending themſelues with any vnwritten tradition, or with any authoritie attributed vntounto the See of Ieruſalem, ſeeing that was transformed into a denne of theeues, Mat. 21.13. The like did the Iewes of Beroea, & found thēſelues in good caſe thereby, Act. 17.11. the conſent notwithſtanding & teſtimony of the true Church being not to bee reiected but greatly to bee eſteemed of & regarded, which againe ought to be diſcerned from the falſe, by the conſent of their teſtimony with the Scriptures. And this is it which all the ancient fathers & lights of the olde Church, hauehave declared & proteſted muſt neceſſarily be doone in the reading of their writings.

17 This then hath beene a very ſtrange ſleight and treachery of Satan to tie the ſpirite of trueth to the perſons of Paſtours and ſheepheards without the examination of their doctrine by the ſcriptures: nay which more is, to ſubiect the ſcripture to their opinions and decrees, as if the maſon ſhould order his plummet & rule by the wall, & not frame the building to the rightneſſe of his line and leuel. We ought therefore p. 157to conſider that the principal and chiefe ſtone Ieſus Chriſt & his doctrine, hauehave beene from al times in part not knowen, in part moſt wickedly reiected by the principall and chiefe builders, ſuch I meane in name, but not indeed and effect, Pſal. 118.22. Which was firſt verified by the experience the Prophets had thereof, Math. 23.37. And then in the perſon of Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe, Act. 4.11. and foretolde ſhould come to paſſe expreſly in the Chriſtian church, Act. 20.29. as the euent hath ſince plainly ſhewed vntounto the eie, and ſtill to this day proueth the ſame. And yet notwithſtanding there was appearance & probability of holding our ſelues, aſwell in generall vntounto that which was commonly receiued of this people, whom God had onlie choſen from out of all the nations of the worlde, as alſo in ſpecial of ſtanding vntounto the aduiſe and iudgement of the Prieſtes, appointed by God ordinarie and ſoueraigne iudges, Deut. 17.9. Beſides there is no man which knoweth not the authority of the See of Ieruſalem which was called the city of God. And yet notwithſtanding of whom is it I pray you that the Lord ſaith, Let them alone, they are blinde leaders of the blinde, Matth. 15.14. and who excommunicated Ieſus Chriſt and his diſciples? Ioh. 9.22. who conſtrained Pilate to crucifie him? Mat. 27.20. who are thoſe vncircumciſed of heart, who were the firſt which imbrewed their handes with the blood of the ſeruants of God? Act. 7.52. There was then as I hauehave ſaid before, great appearaunce why wee ſhould followe without exception the moſt part of the people of the Iewes, and the Doctours of the law, ſitting in Moſes chaire, that is to ſay, the ſucceſſors of Moſes by the ordinance & appointment of God, & yet notwithſtanding theſe were they who fell into the pitte together with thoſe who folowed them, Mat. 15.14. But in what place of the Scripture is it ſaid that Rome ſhalbe the See of the catholick church? That the Biſhoppe of Rome may be iudged of no man, but is the head & chiefe of al? That he hath the power to open heauen & hell, nay to do whatſoeuer him liſteth without controlmēt, & other ſuch vile & filthy blaſphemies & impieties? Ieſus Chriſt hath indeede ſaid that he wil be with vsus vntounto the end of the world, p. 158but it is not ſaide that hee will keepe at Rome. Nay contrariwiſe he hath forewarned vsus by Saint Iohn his welb…u… diſciple, that it ſhould be there where the great whor… ſhould ſit, which ſhould make dronke the Ki…gs and Princes of the worlde. And wee ſee the ſame at this day, yea which is a thing moſt ſtrange to cōſider of, their ama… onelie of ſpirit herein, the ancient fathers, who …y ſaw and wrote theſe things of this See, could not take heed notwithſtanding o… being deceiued therby, and cauſing others to be deceiued.

18 For concluſion therefore of this matter, the Lord hath his ſheepheards and cabbins, which are the true teſtimonies of the truth vntounto which wee muſt keepe our ſelues, I meane the Prophets and Apoſtles, whoſe doctrine is the touchſtone to diſcerne the true ſucceſſours of them from the falſe, and by conſequent the true ſpouſe of Ieſus Chriſt by whom the young Kids muſt keepe themſelues to be wel fedde, from the wicked harlot, from whom they muſt flie that they periſh not togither with her.

According therefore vntounto this holy doctrine let vsus beſeech our Lord God, to look in merciemercy vponupon his poore Church troubled in ſuch ſort and laid ſo waſt in ſo manie places, that there appeareth neither waie nor path thereof: that it wil pleaſe him to defend her and guide her vntounto the true cabbins and lodges of the Paſtors thwart ſo manie cruell and hideous deſertes, ſith it hath pleaſed him in our time to raiſe and lift vp the banner of his holy Miniſtery, that hee will oppoſe himſelfe therefore againſt this Babylon, and ouerthrow the Apoſtolical See thereof by the wind of his mouth, giuing vntounto his elect eies to ſee the light of his holy goſpel, a… deares to hear the voice of that true and certaine Paſtor of Paſtors the chiefe ſheepeheard Ieſus Chriſt, and ſetting vppe againe his cabbins in the which his poor famiſhed young Kids may be fed and paſtured to his honour & glorie. And becauſe wee for our owne part hauehave done our duty ſo little in ſeeking after and digeſting this holy foode and paſture, let vsus cry him mercy and craue of him grace and merciemercy as followeth.

Almighty God &c.